My mother cursed me with her dying breath, calling me a "cursed child" and damning me to hell. But I refused to let her hatred define me.

To survive, I assumed the identity of my adoptive parents’ daughter and entered the Blue Pack as an Omega, the lowest of the low.

To thrive, I watched as the Lycan Princess, Iliana Hicks, fell into the raging river during a pack run. When I pulled her from the icy waters in front of the entire pack, I became her most trusted servant.

But peace was fleeting. War broke out between the Blue Pack and the Red Pack, and the once-proud halls of the Blue Pack’s territory were soon drenched in blood.

Iliana and I were captured and brought to the enemy’s camp, our fates uncertain.

---

“Did you hear? The Lycan Princess is among the prisoners tonight. The warriors are in for a treat.”

“Thank the Moon Goddess the Gamma isn’t interested in females. Otherwise, we’d never get a chance like this.”

Laughter and crude remarks drifted from outside the makeshift tent, mingling with the stench of sweat and blood. Inside, the captured Omegas huddled together, their sobs a constant, grating noise in the background.

“Eleanora, I’d rather die than let them touch me. Don’t stop me, please,” Iliana whimpered, her voice trembling with despair.

She had been crying since the moment we were captured, and I was growing tired of her dramatics.

“Here,” I said, handing her half a ration bar I’d managed to hide. “Eat this and stop crying. You’re wasting energy.”

I didn’t bother comforting her further. Instead, I found a corner to sit and gather my thoughts.

Iliana sniffled, taking the bar and nibbling on it quietly. She had become entirely dependent on me, to the point where it was hard to tell who was the princess and who was the servant.

From the soldiers’ conversation, it was clear what awaited us tonight—a fate worse than death. If we survived, it would only be to endure endless suffering. I had to get us out.

I glanced at Iliana. Despite the tattered clothes and dirt smeared on her face, her beauty was undeniable.

I grabbed a handful of mud from the ground and smeared it across her face and neck. Iliana gasped, but I quickly clamped a hand over her mouth. I then tousled her hair until she looked as unkempt as possible.

“Sir, my friend here had a bit of an accident. I’d like to clean her up before… well, you know,” I said with a subservient smile, addressing the guard outside.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Fine, hurry up. You’re both a mess.”

During our capture, I had memorized the layout of the camp and plotted an escape route. Now was the time to act.

I led Iliana to the riverbank, motioning for her to stay silent. She nodded, her eyes wide with fear.

I gripped a shard of broken glass I’d hidden in my sleeve and crept up behind the guard. In one swift motion, I covered his mouth and slit his throat. He struggled briefly before collapsing, lifeless.

Iliana stared in horror, clutching a tree for support.

She was handling it better than the last time.

When the Blue Pack’s territory had fallen, chaos erupted. A soldier had tried to assault Iliana, but I shifted my claws and tore into his throat before he could lay a hand on her. She had fainted from the shock, covered in his blood.

Now, she clung to my arm, tears streaming down her face. “Eleanora, you saved me again. If I were still in my pack, I’d make my father adopt you as his own, give you a title, anything you wanted.”

“Save the gratitude for later. We need to move,” I said, pulling her to her feet.

But before we could take a step, an arrow whizzed past my cheek, embedding itself into the tree beside us.

“Lycan Princess,” a cold, mocking voice called out. “Where do you think you’re going? Did I not provide adequate hospitality?”

My heart still raced as I looked up and saw a young man holding a bow.

I recognized him instantly—Ellis Martin, the Gamma of the Blue Pack.

Ruthless and feared, he had left countless werewolves from the Red Pack dead in his wake.

“Your Princess killed my warriors. You owe me an explanation.”

He used the tip of his bow to tilt my chin up, a cold smile playing on his lips that sent shivers down my spine.

“I’m the Lycan Princess Iliana Hicks. She’s just my servant. I’m the one who ordered her to do it. If you want to punish someone, punish me!”

Iliana stepped in front of me, trembling but refusing to back down.

Ellis chuckled, as if he’d just heard something amusing.

“On this journey, the Princess has been following her servant’s every word. Do you think I’m a fool?”

Iliana tried to explain, but I pushed her aside.

“The Gamma is right. She’s my servant.”

I walked toward him calmly, a soft smile on my lips, and gently brushed my fingers against his cheek.

“I killed your warriors. Let me make it up to you—a Princess for your warriors. What do you say?”

From the moment I saw Ellis, I knew he was our only chance to escape—and our future lifeline.

Iliana didn’t have the nerve to pull this off. It had to be me.

“Is the Princess flirting with me?”

Ellis wrapped an arm around my waist, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

I leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “By chance, we met, and my heart was stolen.”

“If the Princess is so enamored, how could I refuse?”

Ellis scooped me up and carried me toward the camp.

That night, Ellis arranged a tent for us to rest.

“Eleanora, Ellis is ruthless and cruel. What are you going to do?”

Iliana hadn’t touched her food, tears streaming down her face.

“You don’t need to worry about anything. Just remember—I’m the Princess, and you’re the servant.”

I shoved a piece of bread into her mouth.

As we tried to sleep, the sounds of soldiers’ laughter and the cries of helpless girls filled the air, turning the night into a living nightmare.

Iliana clung to me, shaking uncontrollably.

If we hadn’t met Ellis, it would have been us out there, screaming.

I had to hold onto him—my lifeline.

From then on, I stayed by Ellis’s side, doing everything to please him.

The others mocked me, a Princess who had thrown herself at an enemy Gamma, shameless and without pride.

I found it laughable. What was pride worth?

When it came to survival, was there such a thing as noble or lowly?

“Doing these servant tasks must be beneath you, Princess.”

I gently massaged Ellis’s temples, smiling softly.

“The Red Pack is gone. There’s no Princess anymore. Being able to serve you is a blessing from the Moon Goddess.”

Ellis suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me into his lap, his eyes searching mine with a hint of suspicion.

“Don’t you hate me for destroying your pack?”

I wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest.

“My father was weak, letting our territory fall. And when it did, he only cared about saving himself, not me. Why should I care about being his daughter?”

The truth was, the Lycan King of the Red Pack had been a failure—corrupt, selfish, and cruel.

When I was seven, my mother died, and I spent years wandering the streets before being sold to a family.

I thought they cared for me.

But they forced me to take their daughter’s place as a servant in the palace.

I knew how harsh the world was, and with the constant pack wars, entering the palace was a way to survive—at least I wouldn’t starve.

As it turned out, I’d gambled right.

Years later, their village was destroyed in a flood. They all died.

Ellis’s hand moved to my neck, his fingers lightly gripping it.

One squeeze, and he could snap it like a twig.

Though my palms were slick with sweat, I forced myself to stay calm, playing the part of the obedient mate.

After what felt like an eternity, Ellis let out a low laugh.

He scooped me up and carried me to the bed.

1. **"Servant" -> "Omega"**

“I’m the Lycan Princess Iliana Hicks. She’s just my Omega. I’m the one who ordered her to do it. If you want to punish someone, punish me!”

2. **"Soldiers" -> "Warriors"**

As we tried to sleep, the sounds of warriors’ laughter and the cries of helpless girls filled the air, turning the night into a living nightmare.

3. **"Palace" -> "Pack House"**

But they forced me to take their daughter’s place as an Omega in the pack house.

I knew how harsh the world was, and with the constant pack wars, entering the pack house was a way to survive—at least I wouldn’t starve.